IFAI '02

IFAI Expo 02 called
best show in years

Week of December 16, 2002

Mike Cornell (R), national sales manager for Sunbrella
Awnings and Marine Fabrics, and Mark Simonian of partner 3M demonstrate
the applications of the Sunbrella Graphics System.
Photo by Devin Steele

By Devin Steele

CHARLOTTE, NC  Strolling the floor of the recent IFAI Expo 2002 at
the Charlotte Convention Center, you were hard-pressed to find someone who
didnt have good things to say about the industrial fabrics trade show.

This is my first time attending the show in several years, but were
going to start promoting this show and also exhibiting here every year,
said first-time exhibitor Jimmy Herndon, business manager of Charlotte-based
Rolling Brook Textiles, a manufacturer of woven and knitted fabrics for all
types of applications. One thing is for sure: When we go out, we raise
all kinds of possibilities, but when we stay in our plant, nothing is going
to happen. This show gives us a chance to mingle with people and meet people,
which is the name of the game.

As far as interest in our products and services, on a scale of 1 to
10, I would give it a 10 because the show is that good.

For three days, Oct. 24-26, a record number of exhibitors (490) showed their
goods and services to a total of 7,356 professionals representing every market
of the specialty fabrics industry. This years exhibitor count surpassed
the previous record of 482 set in 2000.

The show, organized by the Industrial Fabrics Association International
(IFAI), drew participants from 54 countries.

Rolling Brook was among a number of new exhibitors, many of them headquartered
in the nations Textile Belt, the Carolinas.

Thats why an annual show like ours is successful, because we
move it around, said IFAI President Stephen M. Warner, CAE, whose association
is planning the 2003 event in Las Vegas. No matter where we are, we
get a lot of exhibitors from the local area, so were pretty pleased
with that. And about half of our attendance is from within about a six-hour
drive of the location of where we are.

Being local was advantageous for narrow fabric weaving and warp knitting
machine manufacturer Jakob Müller of America, Inc., whose offices, show
room and warehouse are located only minutes from the Charlotte Convention
Center.

We had customers from Mexico who wanted to see the machines, so we
brought them over to our facility and showed them the equipment there,
said Rene Frei, executive vice president. Its nice, not having
to bring the equipment to the show.

Staged in conjunction with the show were the third International Conference
on Safety & Protective Fabrics and the annual Textile Technology Forum.
Those pre-show events were very successful and served as a great introduction
to IFAI Expo 2002, Warner said. I think we surprised a lot of
people with the expansion of the scope of the show this year.

In addition to those events, IFAI Expo featured more than 100 speakers,
including keynote addresses by Tom Morris and Gary Heil. The keynote presentations
instructed participants on how to strengthen their businesses and on the importance
of leading inspired teams within the workplace.

More vendor views

Among other vendors, Allen Barwick, president and CEO of third-time IFAI
exhibitor Shuford Mills, Hickory, NC, said he couldnt be happier with
the show.

Weve had excellent traffic, said Barwick, whose company
highlighted its Outdura fabric. Weve had decision-makers
here and we are delighted that were now a destination as opposed to
just the new guy on the block. Folks came here to see us specifically, as
opposed to just recognizing the Outdura name from seeing it in advertising.

Ron McCoy, sales manager of Duncan Technologies, Inc., Spartanburg, SC,
said that walking the show floor in Nashville last year led him to encourage
his parent company, Erhardt + Leimer, to reserve a small booth at this years
show.

It was such a good show last year and this year is shaping up to be,
as well, McCoy said. There were a lot of what I call shakers and
doers there (last year). And everybody I talked to said how much of a good
show it was and one thing led to another and here we are. The success of this
show will dictate our plans for next year.

A representative of another longtime IFAI vendor, thread maker American
& Efird, Mount Holly, NC, added that the quantity and quality of visitors
were encouraging.

Weve had people a lot of companies from the New England area
and all the way down to the Carolinas, said Robert Bergeron, director
of product service. A lot of decision-makers are here, which is important
when youre at these shows.

Scott Leatherman, sales manager of the Carolina Specialty Fabrics Division
of Carolina Mills, Maiden, NC, also put a feather in the shows cap.

The textile industry has been sort of lackluster right now, of course,
he said. I go to several shows a year and this is one of the few, it
seems, that has really grown rather than diminished from year to year.

Sam M. Chip Butler III, president of Service Thread, Inc., Charlotte,
NC, added that this was the best IFAI show in which he had exhibited in recent
years.

Its a lot better attended than last year and the year before,
he said. The people coming to our booth seem to be more quality buyers
than weve had in the past.

Chuck Holmes of first-time exhibitor Hubtex of North America, Inc., Spartanburg,
SC, said on the convention center floor that IFAI Expo already had exceeded
his expectations.

Weve had a lot of visitors, said Holmes, whose company
makes textile material handling equipment, batching units and traveling cleaning
systems. Its a different market for us. Were used to selling
to textile mills. Now were showing to the textile mills customers
here. I think its going to give us some opportunities down the road.

In a post-show communiqué, Hubtex of North America President Markus
Heinis added that equipment was sold on the floor and delivered directly after
the show.

Fifty to 60 additional very promising leads were generated and are
being followed up on, he said. Hubtex was very pleased with the
quality of the people attending and consider its first experience with the
IFAI show to be very successful.

Finally, Robert Poterala of Mascoe Systems called the event fantastic.

Were very pleased to see the positive attitude of people in
such a negative market, he said. Everybody is looking for new
industrial products here. Its been extremely good for us, from the standpoint
that people are looking at new products and new ideas.

Its been the best IFAI show that Ive seen and weve
been participating in them for about 20 years. This one is just outstanding
 so much so that were in the process of joining IFAI. This show
has been 10 times better for us than all the money that weve spent at
other shows. The right people are here at the right time.

Meanwhile, winners of the International Achievement Awards were announced
during the Chairmans Annual Breakfast. The 55th annual competition received
293 entries from companies in 12 countries in 26 categories.

Briefs

Week of December 16, 2002

Burlington to close transportation unit

GREENSBORO, NC  Burlington Industries said it will shut its trucking
and transportation unit and lay off 130 employees here as it climbs its way
out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The company plans to use United Parcel Service Inc.s Supply Chain
Solutions unit to handle worldwide distribution of its products.

Cone Mills extends covenant deadline

GREENSBORO, NC  Cone Mills Corp. announced that on Dec. 2, it amended
agreements with its lenders extending the maturity date of its existing revolving
credit facility and senior note obligation through May 30, 2003.

The commitment is $58 million and the outstanding balance of the senior
note is $22 million. As of the date of closing, the company had availability
under its credit facility in excess of $30 million.

Polymer Group, Inc. statement approved

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC  Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI) announced Dec. 9 that
the companys Modified Disclosure Statement has been approved by the
U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Columbia, SC.

The court has set the date for the plan confirmation hearing on Dec. 27.

Advanced Glassfiber files for reorganization

AIKEN, SC  Advanced Glassfiber Yarns LLC (AGY), one of the largest
global suppliers of glassfiber yarns used in a variety of applications, and
its wholly-owned subsidiary AGY Capital Corp. filed voluntary petitions for
reorganization under Chapter 11 last week.

The companys international operations are excluded from the filing.
The company also announced that it has received a commitment for up to $15
million of debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing, subject to court approval,
from Wachovia bank.

Liebenow expected to serve on committee

WASHINGTON, DC  Larry Liebenow, president and CEO of Quaker Fabric
Corp., Fall River, MA, is among 32 people expected to be appointed by President
Bush to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations
(ACTPN).

The purpose of ACTPN is to provide the U.S. Trade Representative with overall
policy advice on matters concerning objectives and bargaining positions before
entering into a trade agreement, the operation of any trade agreement once
entered into and other matters arising in connection with trade policy of
the U.S.

Part of Chile deal troubles NTA leaders

BOSTON  The National Textile Association (NTA) said Thursday that
it is concerned that the establishment of significant Tariff Preference Levels
(TPLs) under the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) reached last week could
undermine deal.

We are pleased that the U.S. government acted on several specific
concerns of NTA members in drafting the rules for textile products,
said NTA president Karl Spilhaus.

NTAs consistent position with regard to FTAs has been that qualifying
goods be made from components formed in the countries that are partners to
the agreement. We have strongly opposed derogations from the rules of origin
that undermine the value to U.S. textile manufacturers of FTAs.

Spilhaus added that NTA is troubled by the large exemption from
the rules of origin for cotton and manmade fiber textiles. This TPL would
permit 2 million square meters of cotton or manmade fiber apparel made of
third-country fabrics while getting the duty-free benefit of the FTA.

This TPL, which is actually higher than the current level of trade, is hardly
a limit at all, he said.

We note, however, that the TPL is a transitional arrangement that
expires at the end of 10 years, Spilhaus said.

Editorial

Week of December 16, 2002

Industrial fabrics: What recession?

FINALLY, SOME good news. About a trade show. In the industry. Yep,
the textile industry. Uh-huh, the U.S. textile industry, smart aleck.

While such industry events have shrunk in attendance and exhibitors in recent
times, the recent IFAI Expo 2002 enjoyed a fruitful three-day run at the Charlotte
Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. A record 490 vendors were registered for
the show, and a milestone-flirting 7,356 visitors crossed the turnstiles.
Given such figures, you can officially call the specialty fabrics sector a
growth area  or, dare we say in hackneyed industry-speak, a niche.

And this expansion, ladies and gents, is occurring during a static
time in general for industrial fabrics, according to Stephen Warner, president
of show organizer Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). He
said that a few markets are growing for industrial fabrics, which essentially,
are materials created for specific applications where the performance characteristic
 not fashion appeal  is the primary criterion for selection. But
other markets are suffering.

The reasons some are thriving and some are suffering vary, Warner said.
Historically during a recession, manufacturing or otherwise, pockets of the
industrial fabrics industry grow because consumers change their spending habits.
For instance, instead of buying a new boat during a stagnant economy, a person
is more likely to choose to fix up the old one, which includes buying a new
cover, he said. The same goes for a house (awnings) and a truck (a tarp),
et al, he added. Meanwhile, some specialty fabrics producers and suppliers
are hurting because foreign companies are cherry-picking the best lines of
their U.S. competitors rather than offering the entire program, Warner said.

THE GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS paradox is what makes specialty fabrics the
funny part of the textile industry, Warner said. Theres
the apparel industry, theres the home furnishings industry and then
theres the other industry, he said during the trade show, explaining
his reasoning. Thats what we are, were the other industry.

As recently as last summer, Warner began to wonder if his segment wasnt
headed south with its compadres, he said, if interest in the IFAI Expo was
an indicator. After all, 95 percent of vendors are typically registered before
the discount deadline, which this year was June 1st. But sluggish sales to
that point would not serve as an accurate measuring stick for the industrial
fabrics trade show. It was very slow in exhibit sales for the first
six months, much slower than any other year that I can recall, he said.
We really struggled and we were getting a little concerned about it,
but we then noticed that it started to build up a little bit. A steady
stream of sign-ups, all the way through to the week before the show, enabled
organizers to announce a record roster of exhibitors, which certainly had
Warner in good spirits during the event.

SEVERAL OF those exhibitors have stepped out of their traditional
market and are flourishing, as a result. Glen Raven Custom Fabrics LLC, a
division of Glen Raven, Inc., is one of them. The company has made Sunbrella®
fabrics since 1958 and now, through a partnership with 3M and a third party,
has embarked on a profitable venture. The company is serving as administrator
of the Sunbrella Graphics System, a machine that bonds 3M films to Sunbrella
fabrics and supports multicolored artwork and fine details of intricate logos.

Call that innovation  and keeping your ears open, said Allen Gant
Jr. president and CEO of Glen Raven. Listening to the customer, along
with innovation and operating within the right cost-structure, are three elements
that are important today, he said. By restructuring, shifting its focus,
becoming leaner and developing new markets with top brands, Glen Raven is
now enjoying a vibrancy it hasnt experienced in recent years. But it
is a different company than it was even a year ago, Gant said.

Glen Raven is but one longtime textile manufacturer that is finding a way
to survive in this ruthless environment.

Mike Cornell (R), national sales manager for Sunbrella
Awnings and Marine Fabrics, and Mark Simonian of partner 3M demonstrate
the applications of the Sunbrella Graphics System.

Thats because one of the stars of the show, the Sunbrella Graphics
System (SGS), was demonstrated at its booth. Making its public debut at the
expo, the SGS 100 graphics machine turns applying graphics to fabrics from
an art into a science, according to Glen Raven officials.

The machine is a compact unit that employs heat lamps and vacuum pumps to
create a secure bond between 3M Scotchal ElectroCut Graphic
films and Sunbrella or Dickson® fabrics. It supports multicolored artwork
and fine details of intricate logos.

SGS allows awning shops to create digital versions of logos and lettering,
which are then cut from 3M film using a plotter. The film is positioned on
the fabric and placed in the SGS 100 graphics machine, which is programmed
to provide the exact amount of heat and vacuum pressure to create a secure
bond of the film to the fabric. Once they see the graphics, people are
totally impressed with this system, said Doug Dubay, the companys
commercial market manager who has been involved since the early stages of
the project. Its like the saying a picture is worth 1,000
words. They look at these graphics up close and that says it all.
In the past, Sunbrella fabric had to be either hand painted, with random results,
or sprayed or rolled using a mask or template as a guide. Ever since
Sunbrella came on the market, people have liked the nice textural look of
the woven acrylic, the rich colors, the durability of it, Dubay said.
It lasts longer than just about any awning fabric on the market, but
theres never been a good way to decorate it for commercial applications,
until now.

Glen Raven Custom Fabrics of Glen Raven, NC, joined forces with high-performance
graphics films producer 3M, along with a Gary Childres to bring the concept
to market. Childres, owner of Childres Canvas Products of Dallas, designed
the machine and made the initial contact with Glen Raven about partnering
on the project. Since being quietly introduced earlier this year,
more than 5,000 applications using SGS machines have been made, according
to Allen Gant Jr., president and CEO of Glen Raven, Inc.

Mascoe Systems Corp.Mascoe, of Mauldin, SC, showed coating and drying equipment available
for use in the companys recently upgraded research and development center.
Samples of various coated products were available and personnel were on hand
to discuss customer product development or equipment needs. Mascoe also had
in its booth a representative of General Electric Silicones (GES), with whom
it has teamed up to attempt to solve chemical coating application problems,
according to Mascoes Robert Poterala.

Its been a very good arrangement for both of us, he said.
Added his son, Joe Poterala: GES has a lot of different applications
for industrial fabrics. The biggest issue they have is having a place to test
their new products with customers fabrics, so theyre bringing
them to us and were able to do the testing, run the fabrics and then
provide the customer with either a place to run the material or provide them
with equipment. Its worked very well. The show helped GES in its
strategy to focus on segments of the industrial fabric market where silicone
can provide a clear value proposition as a problem solver or performance enhancer,
according to the GES representative, Rob Hennessy, RTV marketing manager.

We initiated programs with several companies that were interested
in the types of performance our materials can provide, he said. To
that end, the partnership with Mascoe Systems has enhanced our ability to
answer both current and potential customer needs, by offering a turnkey system
whereby the customer can see the entire process from start to finish, whether
it is only a coating need or a complete manufacturing system.

Mascoes ability to provide contract coating, lab trials and finished
capital equipment fills the gaps that GE Silicones, as a material-only supplier,
generally cant handle, Hennessy added. Many companies offer one
or two of these services, but Mascoe has taken it to the next level with its
integration of the complete coating process, he said. As a result,
I believe that our symbiotic approach to the show was very successful, and
will be repeating the effort next year in Las Vegas.

Shuford Mills, Inc. Shuford Mills Outdura® fabrics, introduced in 2000,
sends the 122-year-old company in a new direction and has helped brighten
its prospects for the future, according to Allen Barwick, president and CEO.

We historically have woven filtration fabrics, substrates and acrylic
print cloth, which has been a good program for us, and now medical products,
as well as Outdura, he sa and were pleased to be participating
in the growth of it. Its certainly an upper-end product line. Its
not a middle-of-the-road or commodity-type product like so many products that
are out there.

At IFAI Expo 2002, the company was quite pleased with the interest
and traffic generated by Outdura, according to Steve Bowman, vice president
of sales and marketing. We saw a continued growth of interest in our
Outdura premium, 100-percent solution-dyed acrylic fabrics for marine, furniture,
awning, canopy and umbrella use, he said. We introduced new designs
and colors to bring availability up to 25 styles in the 9-ounce marine fabric
and up to 21 styles in the 8-ounce furniture fabric.

Groz-Beckert The company, with U.S. offices in Charlotte, spotlighted its titanium
nitride-coated Special Application Needles (SAN®). These needles
were developed just for industrial textile fabrics, like the heavier fabrics
for tents and awnings, said the companys Tom Graham. He added
that visitors have shown great interest in the product. The quality
of the customer seems to be better here than at standard apparel shows,
he said.

KoSa KoSa showed its complete line of technical polyester filament
yarns for a wide range of industrial applications. We have been in the
process in the last six to 12 months of making incremental improvements to
a number of our products, said Larry Q. Williams, global business director,
technical fabrics and sewing thread, Charlotte. In particular, weve
introduced a slightly lower shrinkage variant to our stalwart 787 product
family for the substrate applications. We believe that this product enhancement
offers improved value to our customers and performance to our customers.

Carolina Specialty Fabrics A division of Carolina Mills, Inc., Maiden, NC, Carolina Specialty
Fabrics weaves cloth of cotton, cotton blends and synthetic fibers for a wide
array of end uses. Carolina is a licensee of Cargill Dows NatureWorks
fiber, derived entirely from annually renewable resources such as corn. The
company also weaves Wellmans Fortrel EcoSpun®, made from post consumer
PET packaging. Besides these, the company featured its Genesis II line of
environmentally friendly fabrics. Over the last five years, we have
really started to concentrate on expanding our product line from 100 percent
cotton and cotton-poly blends to some other fibers and end-uses, said
Scott Leatherman, sales manager. Niche is an overused word, but were
really trying to pick up some programs that allow us to service a certain
market and service it well.

American & Efird The Mount Holly, NC, company, which makes sewing thread, touted
its Anefil® and Anecord® lines, according to William K. Langley, Eastern
Region sales manager. Anefil is a twisted, multifilament thread construction
made from continuous filaments of polyester or nylon that have been twisted
together and then plied to hold the fibers together. Anecord, a monocord thread
construction, is made from continuous filaments of nylon that have been slightly
twisted and then bonded together.

Erhardt + Leimer
Among web control devices, Erhardt + Leimer highlighted its stretch-wrap machine
for large rolls, along with related products from subsidiary Duncan Technologies,
Inc. as well as Roach Conveyors and Mechadyne Machine, for whom it distributes.
Weve had a lot of interest in all of this equipment, said
Ron McCoy, sales manager for Duncan, based in Spartanburg, SC.

Coats N. America At the show, Coats let visitors know that it has broken ground
in Orizaba, Mexico for a new industrial thread-manufacturing plant. Construction
is expected to be complete by the end of next year, officials said. Among
products it showed was Coats dabond, a bonded, twisted continuous filament
polyester thread. The thread combines superior sewability with excellent UV
and abrasion protection, the company said. Staffers also provided information
about the Coats Technology Center in Hendersonville, NC, where such activities
as research and development, analytical analysis, process engineering, custom
quality analysis and training seminars are conducted.

Van Cooper and Jenni Gregory of Pierret show recycled materials from
a size-reduction guillotine cutter.

Kevin Channell of Global-Pak, Inc., East Liverpool, OH, is welcomed
in the Jakob Müller of America, Inc. booth by Rene Frei (L) and
Albert Hess. The company manufactures narrow fabric weaving and warp
knitting machines; inspection, making-up and festooning machines; and
warping and shedding machines.

Neuenhauser staffers are (L-R) Paul Ledford, Jess Vergara, Robert
Loftis and Daryl Downen. Featured in the booth was robotics and process
automation equipment, including palletizers, yarn can and yarn package
transport systems, automatic warper systems and more.